World War Two Married Women

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Shmuel Toron English 12 Prophesor karol 4/13/11 Pre World War two, most married woman were homemakers, wives that would take care of their husbands, cook, clean and care for the children while their husbands would bring home the bacon. When the war began, women were encouraged to partake in the work force to aid the war efforts. “They were to be solders without guns“.(Yellin 37) The woman were informed prior to employment that the jobs were just temporary and they were to go back to their “normal” routine when their husbands returned(Yellin 40). Just after pearl harbor was attacked in December 1941 America joned the war against Germany, Italy and Japan.( Yellin 39) Woman were encouraged to take the place of the male workers within…show more content…
woman needed to work due to financial instability in the home. They saw the opportunity to get better paying jobs and provide a better income for their families. However, that wasn’t enough. As the war progressed, more and more men were drafted and eventually men that were previously exempt from being drafted were called upon to serve their country overseas as well. These married woman who’s husbands were fighting in the war couldn’t care for their children while simultaneously working so the nation called upon their next big target, the single women fresh out of college. Most young women just out of college didn’t work and any that did would take office jobs, working in the factories was unlady like. What was America to do(Yellin 43)? In 1943 a fictional female character named “Rosie the Riveter” was born. She was everything the manufacturing forces wanted in a woman; strong, tough, loyal and pretty, the ideal female worker.(Yellin…show more content…
They now share equal responsibilities in homecare and rasing the family. Slowly the gender roles that were previously set are melting away. Since the dawn of the feminist movement women have been able to accomplish what many thought impossible. But in our modern era woman now face other challenges, such as negative sexual attention. When a man is referred to as a ‘slut” it doesn’t associate to the actual definition used by society. But when a woman is called a “slut” it automatically associates her with a prostitute and she is then frowned upon by society.(Evalee) There seems to be a double standard when it comes to these male to female connotations .One in six women and one in thirty three men have been sexually assaulted in their lifetime. In our modern society women have been degraded to being pieces of meat or just a pair of sexy legs. (Evalee) Although women have come along way since their efforts in aiding the war, today women around the world still face prejudice, underestimation and gender discrimination only because they are women. Though they are numbered at 51% of the population, they are dealing with endless struggles in their fight for equal
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